The present invention relates to the formulation of a stable isotropic liquid detergent composition containing a particular silicone suds controlling agent that is capable of suppressing or controlling the suds profile of the liquid detergent composition, even after months of storage.
Silicones are widely known and taught for use as highly effective suds controlling agents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,839 relates to compositions and processes for defoaming aqueous solutions by incorporating therein small amounts of polydimethylsiloxane fluids.
Useful suds controlling silicones are mixtures of silicone and silanated silica as described, for instance, in German Patent Application No. DOS 2,124,526.
Silicone defoamers and suds controlling agents have been successfully incorporated into granular detergent compositions by protecting them from detergent surfactants as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,672, Bartolotta et al, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,392, Baginski et al, issued Mar. 24, 1987. However, such suds controlling agents have not been used in stable isotropic liquid detergent compositions because of either surfactant incompatibility or difficulty in obtaining single phase isotropic liquids. Surprisingly, it has now been found that it is possible to make premixes of dispersing agents and certain suds controlling agents that can be used to prepare stable isotropic liquid detergent compositions.